Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1887-03-31

That was one of the defects OF COla's
character. He never would listen to-
reason on any point where his atfec-
lions were concerned 1t was the
same thing about his friendship for
that unlucky Lieutenant Ivan Nikai-
aieff. who was afterwards hanged for
completely in Nihilist conspiracy. l
always said to him: ''Cola, my boy.
you should make friends where they
can do you some good. not amongst
people that can only be an injury 20
YOU" But nothing would induce him
to give up his friend till Nikala;ef was
actually arrested. And the night fol-
lowing the execution, Cola positively
refused to act, and we had to make an
apology for him on the ground of sud-
den indisposition. though by so doing
we brought suspicion upon US all l
do net think we were ever free, after
that, from the surveillance of the police,
as long as we remained in Russia.
However, 1.-The Martyrs" continued
to Draw tremendous houses. some peO-
pie coming to see it as often as five or
six times. And there was one person l
verify believe never missed a single
representation. Night after night one
of the upper proscenium boxes was ten
anted by the same figure. always half
hidden behind the box-curtain, and
with little discernible save an ermine
mantle, pair of great eyes always
fixed upon the stage, and shining
cloud of floating golden hair. This
constant spectator was. as had been
told. the Princess Sophia Orlanoff, a
great heiress and great lady, but ter
ribly crippled and deformed. Her at
tendants used to carry her in and out
of her box at the different theaters, her
favorite recreations being music and
the drama.
She was still quite young-twenty-
five or thereabouts-I learned. and she
inhabited one wing of the great Orlan-
off palace, under the guardianship of
her uncle, Prince Michael Cola
Baretti took quite an interest in this
unfailing patroness of our theatcr,
having a soft heart for any thing that
was weak and suffering; and 1 used to
think sometimes that our splendid
Claudius had something to do with her
unf1agging interest in our perform
ances. At all events she used to APP
plaud his best points with all fervor
possible to pair of small and slender
white hands. and when he was on the
stage her opera-glass seldom left her
eyes. He got into the way, at last, of
playing to her. in measure, SO appre-
ciative was her applause and SO earnest
her attention. He used to say, for in
stance: 1.-The Princess must have been
pleased tonight with my acting in the
last scenes" or, 81 did not recite the
Hymn to Hymer as well as usual this
evening, for the Princess failed to APP
plaud it." She became thus, as it
were. the barometer of this talent.
I think the time has now come for
giving the true reason for our failure
to give Hamlet in St. Petersburg as
we had promised, on the withdrawal
of "The Martyrs" with Cola Baretti
as the melancholy Dane. 1t is just as
well that the public should learn that
neither l nor the director were in any
way to blame for disappointing the
subscribers, who were naturally
anxious to see Baretti in a more prom
inent part than that OF Claudius. And,
indeed. l only learned the whole story
from him the other day, when l went
to visit him in Milan.
This is what he told me:
One gloomy afternoon. shortly after
we had given up playing 1.-The
Martyrs" he found waiting COR him at
the stage-door. at the close of the first
rehearsal of Hamlet" servant-girl,
who tut into his hands sealed note.
1t contained these few words only,
without signature or address:
''As you value your life. and If you desire TO
soothe the last moments Of dying woman, fol-
low the bearer of this letter. For the love OF
Heaven come"
Cola tired to question the girl, but
could get no answer from her, and, in
fact, she seemed incapable of UNDER
standing either French or Italian.
Many men would have hesitated before
deciding to obey SO mysterious sum-
mons, but Cola was as brave as lion,
besides which there was something in
the tone of the few words of the epistle
that bore the ring of sincerity. So he
followed his guide through the gather
ing gloom of the evening till they stood
before the great Orlanoff palace.
Turning to the west wing. the girl led
him swiftly up side staircase, and
opening a door on the second floor,
which she instantly closed behind him
rs he entered. he found himself in the
presence of the Princess Sophia. He
recognized her instantly. though she
Jay on a couch beside . table which
bore single lamp. the shade of which
was SO arranged as to leave her figure
in obscurity while throwing its full
luster on any one approaching her. But
there was no installing the slight form
in its wrappings of ermine, and the